BackgroundThe prevalence of thyroid dysfunction is high in Isfahan, an area of iodine sufficient in Iran. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence of thyroid dysfunctions in adults of metropolitan Isfahan and to determine the role of thyroid autoantibodies.MethodsIn a population-based cohort study in 2006–2011, we measured TSH, T4, T3, thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) in 618 out of 2254 people who were euthyroid in 2006. The incidence rates per 1000 person-year (pr) were calculated. The odds ratio (OR), relative risk (RR), and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated based on logistic regression to quantify the potential predictors of thyroid dysfunction. The receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis along with area under the curve (AUC) was used to determine the optimal cutoff values for baseline TPOAb and TgAb as predictors of thyroid dysfunction.ResultsWithin a 6-year follow-up, the incidence rate of hypothyroidism was 3.3 in women and 2.1 in men while the incidence rate of hyperthyroidism was 3.8 in women and none in men per 1000 (person-year). A cutoff value of TPOAb at 38 IU/mL was obtained to differentiate the patients with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, with specificity of 0.75 and sensitivity of 0.76, and AUC (CI 95%) of 0.882 (0.743–1.02), P = 0.01 and 0.817 (0.600–1.035) P = 0.033, respectively. There is a statistically significant association of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism with positive TPOAb [RR (CI 95%): 1.99 (1.27–3.13) and 2.20 (1.23–3.95), respectively].ConclusionsThe incidence rate of thyroid dysfunction is high in Isfahan, and higher TPOAb concentration is its strong predictor.

Background:Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a multifactorial disease with susceptibility of several genes that are related to T2D. Insulin secretion pathway starts with potassium channels in pancreatic beta cells. KCNJ11 gene encodes ATP-sensitive potassium channel subunits. Some studies suggested that KCNJ11 (E23K) mutation increases the risk of T2D. Therefore, present study was designed to investigate the association between E23K polymorphism of KCNJ11 gene and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the Iranian population.Materials and Methods:The type of study was case-control and 40 unrelated subjects, including 20 healthy controls and 20 diabetic patients were recruited (diagnosed based on American Diabetes Association criteria). Blood samples were used for isolation of genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Having extracted the genomic DNA from human blood leukocytes by means of High Pure PCR Template Preparation Kit, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to detect KCNJ11 E23K gene polymorphism. BanII restriction enzyme was used for digestion. Data were analyzed using Chi-square or Fisher exact test or independent t-test, as appropriate. P < 0.05 was considered.Results:We found that the carrier homozygous for KK genotype are susceptible to T2D (0.049) and in patients the frequency of K allele was higher than control subjects (0.048).Conclusion:The present study suggests that KCNJ11 (E23K) gene polymorphism is associated with T2DM.

There are a few reports regarding the reference range for platelet indices in the populations of Iran and its neighbouring countries, but these studies were of small sample size. This study aimed at defining platelet reference values for medical research and practice. A cross-sectional survey was performed on 19,993 young adult Iranians who participated in a compulsory pre-marriage screening programme over a 6-month period. Platelet indices were measured using an automated Technicon H2 cell counter. The platelet count [given as 95% reference interval (2.5 percentile-97.5 percentile) and mean +/- standard deviation] were 145-356 x 10(9)/l (237 +/- 55.2); the platelet distribution width was 40.2-57.4% (46.9 +/- 5.7) the Plateletocrit was, 0.13-0.32% (0.22 +/- 0.05) and the mean platelet volume was 7.4-10.7 fl (9.2 +/- 2.9). The first three indices showed significant differences between males and females. The reference values of platelet indices in Iranians were found to be different from international data; they were a little lower than those in Caucasians but higher than the indices found for Africans.

Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS) is a rare, autosomal recessive heterogeneous disorder, which is characterized by palmoplantar hyperkeratosis, early loss of primary and permanent teeth, and associated calcification of the dura mater. Herein we described six cases of PLS in the same family. In this series, six cases (two females and four males) with the mean age of 15.6 ± 10.4 years were recruited. Palmoplantar hyperkeratosis was detected in all of the cases, leading to a difficult and painful walking in two cases due to lesions on the soles. Skin lesions were sharply distinct from adjacent normal skin in all cases. Other skin lesions were located in the external malleolus (5/6), knee (4/6), elbow (4/6), toe and dorsal fingers (3/6), and the thighs (2/6). In three cases, all permanent teeth were exfoliated. In three others, no primary teeth remained. Severe gingivitis was observed in three patients. Radiologic study confirmed alveolar bone destruction in five cases. Delayed diagnosis and insufficient treatment of PLS patients can affect patient's life of by causing edentulism at a young age and may impose PLS patients to increased risk of social, psychological, and economical burdens.